1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for observing the interior of a blast furnace system, more particularly to an apparatus which enables an operator to observe the interior of a blast furnace, and which has a video camera device for monitoring the conditions in the blast furnace.
2. Description of the Related Art
In making iron, iron ore, and cokes, together with flux are fed into a hot furnace, such as a blast furnace, and are ignited to produce molten hot metal and slag. In order to monitor the condition in the blast furnace, a peephole is disposed in the blast furnace and a filter is disposed over the peephole so that the operator can view the interior of the blast furnace through the peephole and detect any abnormal situations during operation of the furnace.
In order to detect and control the interior conditions of a blast furnace for long-term operation, a detecting system 2 as shown in FIG. 1 is proposed. The detecting system 2 includes a tubular mount 21 which is detachably mounted on a furnace wall 11 of a blast furnace and which is in visual communication with a peephole 12, a periscope 22 which is connected to and is communicated with the tubular mount 21 and which is substantially perpendicular to the tubular mount 21, a beam splitter 23 disposed at a juncture between the tubular mount 21 and the periscope 22, and a video camera 24 disposed within the tubular mount 21. Thus, the operator can sight the interior of the furnace using the periscope 22, and the interior condition of the furnace can be detected and recorded by the video camera 24.
However, the operator may hit against the tubular mount 21 when using the periscope 22, which may cause displacement of the video camera 24 relative to the peephole 12, thereby adversely affecting the detection of the furnace interior by the video camera 24. In addition, positioning of the video camera 24 within the tubular mount 21 is not stable, and displacement of the video camera 24 is likely to occur due to vibration of the furnace during operation.